Decorative light and chime display



933- M. HOROWITZ 2,132,297

DECORATIVE LIGHT AND CHIME DISPLAY Filed Jul 'zo, 1956 MAX HOROW/TZ Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES Search Room PATENT OFFICE DECORATIVE LIGHT AND CHIlVIE DISPLAY Application July 20, 1936, Serial No. 91,580

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a decorative light and chime display, and more particularly to an electrical operating mechanism for lights and chimes, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient means for automatically controlling the lights and the sounding of the chimes.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for operating, chimes, lights, signals and the like, wherein a solenoid is mounted and operated so as to cause its core or plunger to strike the chimes upon its energizing stroke, as well as upon its de-energizing stroke.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple means in the nature of an emcient decorative light display in association with a sound effect for displaying colored or decorative lights and automatically sounding chimes or other sound elements, all mounted for convenient attachment to a tree or other support to be decorated.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the display and sound element, certain parts being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken longitudinally through the solenoid;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit employed for operating the light display and sound element;

Figure '7 is a front elevation of a modified form of a display and sound element.

By referring to the drawing by numerals, it will be seen that the light display and sound element comprises a standard I which is preferably of a tubular structure which is provided with a pair of laterally extending ears I I at its lower end through which ears I I extends a tightening screw I2 for the purpose of facilitating the tightening of the standard I0 over a support such as a tree limb or other suitable supporting medium. The standard I0 is provided at its upper end with an internally threaded lamp socket I3 in which is adapted to fit a lamp bulb I4 ofthe conventional type. A decorative head-piece I in the formation of a star, or other suitable decorative element, is fitted over the upper end of the standard Ill and this head-piece I5 may be provided with light slots Iii-note particularly Figures 1 and 2.

The standard It] carries upon its opposite sides below the decorative head-piece I5 a pair of spaced chime-supporting casings I! which preferably extend transversely of the standard directly below the head-piece I5. A chime element I8 is supported longitudinally within each casing I'I, each chime element I8 being supported upon a plurality of supporting springs I 9. Each spring I9 is secured to the far side of the casing I1 by means of a suitable rivet or other securing means 20, and comprises a backwardly folded body having its ends also hooked in opposite directions as indicated at 2I, to provide hook portions which extend through the chime element I8-note particularly Figure 5.

A solenoid 22 is mounted transversely of the standard Ill and has its opposite ends extending into the opposite chime casings IT, as shown clearly in Figure 3. The core or plunger 23 of the solenoid 2| is provided at one end with a head 24 and at its other end with an extension 23 formed of non-magnetic material such as brass and carrying a head 24 which may be leather or any other desired material as shown in Figure 3. These heads 24 are adapted to alternately strike the chime elements I8 mounted within the spaced chime casings II-note Figures 3 and 4. A fiat cushion spring 25 is carried by one-end of the solenoid 22 in back of one head 24 to cause the core to be forced from an energized position to a de-energized position. The opposite heads 24 are adapted, as stated above, to alternately hammer or strike against the chime elements I8.

In carrying out this invention, it will be noted that the light bulb I4 is electrically connected through its socket I3, as shown in the diagram in Figure 6 to a wire 26, which wire 26 leads to a flasher plug 21 of the conventional type or any suitable make-and-break device, this flasher plug 21 being connected to a wire 28 of the supply line. The opposite side of the socket I3 is connected to a wire 29 which leads to the field winding of the solenoid 22, the field winding of the solenoid 22 being in turn connected to a wire 30 which leads to the opposite side 3| of the supply line. By noting Figure 6, it will be seen that when the flasher plug 21 is plugged into a standard electric outlet, the resistor in the flasher plug becomes heated thereby heating the thermostatic metal and thus causing this thermostatic metal to bind and make contact with a stationary contact. This will short-circuit the resistance, thereby causing the bulb H to light up and cause the solenoid 22 to be energized. The plunger or core 23 of the solenoid 22 will be drawn in against the tension of the spring 25 thereby causing the heads 24 to contact or strike the chime mounted in front of the same for producing a musical tone. When the thermostat in the flasher plug 21 has cooled sufficiently the thermostat will return to its normal position, breaking the contact with the lamp l4 and solenoid 22 putting the resistor back into circuit. When the solenoid becomes de-energized due to the opening of the circuit, the plungeris caused to jump back due to the tension of the spring 25, and thus cause the opposite head 24 to strike the opposite chime l8 directly in back of the opposite end of the solenoid 22, thereby also creating a musical tone. This action is repeated periodically due to the continuous operation of the thermostatic plug and the continuous ringing of the chimes simulating the ringing of church bells or chimes. As stated above, it should be understood that any suitable make-and-break device may be substituted for the flasher plug, although it has been found preferable to use the conventional flasher plug which is especially designed for such purpose.

In Figure 7, there is shown a modified form of the invention wherein I have shown a decorative head-piece 32 carrying the transversely extending chime supported casings 33 directly below the head-piece 32, these casings and head-piece being supported in a manner similar to that as described with respect to Figure 1 upon a standard 34, which standard 34 is carried by a base 35.

It should be understood that the device may be modified as to design and material, and certain detail changes might be employed mechanically and electrically without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:-

1. A device of the class described comprising a hollow standard having opposed side openings in its walls, chime supporting casings extending from opposite sides of said standard and arranged in opposed and spaced relation to each other about said openings and having confronting inner ends, a chime element within each casing, a solenoid mounted in said standard and extending transversely thereof between the inner ends of said casings, a plunger carried by said solenoid, a striker head carried by each end of said plunger, the striker heads being adapted to alternately strike said chime elements, electrical means for energizing said solenoid for moving said plunger in one direction, and a spring engaging one of said striker heads for automatically moving the plunger in the opposite direction for striking the other chime element when said solenoid is de-energized.

2. A device of the class described comprising a hollow standard formed with opposed side openings, transversely extending chime-supporting casings carried by said standard at opposite sides thereof and arranged in opposed spaced relation to each other about said openings, a chime element within each casing, a solenoid mounted in said standard transversely thereof with its end portions extending through the openings and into said casings, a plunger extending through said solenoid with its end portions extending from opposite ends thereof into the casings, a striker head carried by each end of said plunger, the striker heads being adapted to alternately strike said chime elements, electrical means for energizing said solenoid for moving said plunger in one direction, and a spring engaging one of said striker heads for automatically moving the plunger in the opposite direction for striking the other chime element when said solenoid is deenergized.

MAX HOROWITZ.

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